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Sudden Setup
Sudden Setup
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Sudden Setup

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Holden shook his head. The less she knew about his circumstance, the better.

“I’m more concerned about you right now,” he said. “Besides, you’re news and that’s bad for me.”

“You’re on the run from something.” She had part of that right.

More like someone.

Her gaze penetrated deep into him. “You know who I am, don’t you? You’ve always known.”

He nodded.

“And you’re not out to hurt me. So far, from what I can tell, you’ve been helping me,” she continued.

“I want you to listen carefully to what I’m about to say. What happened to you out there was no accident,” he warned.

She gasped. “Not you...”

“No, it wasn’t me. But someone did that—” he motioned toward the gash on her head “—on purpose.”

He let the revelation sink in for a minute.

“It wasn’t you and it wasn’t an accident,” she said so quietly that he had to strain to hear.

Holden handed her another cup filled with beans he’d warmed in the fire. “You’re used to better food, but this is protein and it’ll keep your stomach from growling.”

Ella took the offering with trembling hands as his message seemed to be taking seed. “Who would want me dead?”

He didn’t like that momentary lost look in her eyes.

“I’m telling you because you’re going to want to be careful from now on. Take necessary precautions and don’t wander off alone.” Holden leaned his hip against the counter.

She took a bite of food and chewed.

“You said that your father was killed,” he continued.

“Yes.”

“You’ll want to look at people who stand to gain from your death after his to start. Scrutinize those closest to you,” he said, figuring with her money she could hire proper security who could keep her safe until the law found the man trying to kill her.

“I have no idea. I mean, I think what you’re saying is that my brothers or sister might want me dead to get me out of the way or take my share of our inheritance, but I trust them with my life,” she said.

“What happened to your father?” he asked. The look he shot her must’ve been interesting.

“He was shot twelve times while he slept naked in the spare bedroom attached to his office in the barn,” she informed.

“No one heard anything?” he asked, thinking that someone had wanted to make a point. An act like that came across as anger motivated.

“The barn isn’t near the main house. Dad liked to keep home and work separate,” she said.

“Which is difficult, considering you do live your work when you own a ranch,” Holden said. “Your family would know everyone’s sleeping patterns and where your father would be on a given day.”

“He spent a lot of nights in the barn. What makes you so sure it’s one of them? Did you used to work in law enforcement?” She turned the tables.

“No.” Holden had no plans to elaborate on his background. The less she knew, the better for both of them.

“We leave as soon as the sun goes down,” he said, closing the bag to the coffee grinds.

* * *

ELLA REALIZED SHE’D been gripping the coffee mug so tightly that her knuckles were white. She reminded herself to breathe as she tried to absorb the reality that had become her life. Her brothers would not try to hurt her. For one, the Butler kids had had each other’s backs since childhood after their mother had taken off and left them with their father. They’d had to. Their father wasn’t exactly skilled in the parenting department. He’d loved them in his own way, Ella thought defensively. She’d always felt the need to protect her father. But he wasn’t the problem this time.

Thinking made her brain cramp.

Ella eyed the stranger carefully. By nightfall, she’d be done with him. He’d be out of her life forever. She should be happy about that, and yet the thought tugged at her heart. Maybe it was because she’d lost so much already with her father’s death. Or it could be her soft spot for lost causes. There’d been countless stray animals that she’d made space for in the barn only for her father to tell her they had to go. Usually, they were injured and she knew they’d never survive on their own. Her brothers or sister would come to her rescue and help her keep them hidden until she’d manage to nurse them back to health and then find a new home.

A few were worked into the menagerie of pets on the ranch. Oftentimes one of the hired hands would end up with a new pet to take home to his family. And many of the employees at Hereford Ranch covered for her to help with her causes. No one went against Maverick Mike’s wishes directly, but everyone pitched in behind the scenes to help Ella.

Looking back, it was probably difficult for them to turn away such a persistent little girl. Ella had been told more than once that she had the campaigning abilities of a politician.

Her gaze drifted to the wounded person standing before her with no name. If anyone needed to find his way, it was the man across the room. She told herself that was the reason she felt an unexplainable draw toward the mystery man and it had nothing to do with the inappropriate surge of attraction she felt every time she glanced his way.

“What will you do once you drop me off? You can’t stay here anymore, can you?” she asked.

“You need to worry about yourself. Use some of that money you have to hire extra security,” he snapped.

Ella bristled.

His voice softened when he said, “You’re in danger and you owe it to your father to be careful.”

“Why do you care?” she asked.

“I don’t,” he said. “But you should.”

A noise sounded outside and Blue Eyes dropped into a crouching position in half a second flat. The remarkable thing was that he made no noise with his movement, and that made her think he might have a military background.

His gaze locked onto hers and the look he shot her warned her to be quiet. She froze, fearing that whoever had tried to kill her was back. Would they have returned to verify that she was dead and then go hunting for her when they didn’t find a body?

Her pulse raced.

With effort, she slid off the chair and made herself as small as she could on the floor. Movement hurt despite the couple of pain relievers he’d supplied earlier. Ella knew Blue Eyes had this under control. And it struck her as odd that she felt safe with the stranger.

Thinking about the attempt on her life made her realize that there could be others coming to town to get a piece of her father’s will. Hadn’t his attorney, Ed Staples, warned that there could be a lot of surprises forthcoming? Even though he couldn’t possibly have meant this, Ella was beginning to fear that the actions of her father would haunt her and her siblings long after his death.

When the silence had stretched on for minutes, Blue Eyes moved to the window and checked outside. Without speaking a word, he slipped out the door.

Ella moved to the window to get a look for herself, watching as he moved stealthily. There was a certain grace about him.

Despite his untamed appearance, his muscles gave the impression he maintained a disciplined workout schedule. In fact, looking around the room, it was obvious that he liked things tidy. Something had made him want to drop out of civilization for a while. He couldn’t be a doomsday prepper because he seemed to have on hand only what he needed for a couple of days. She wanted to offer him some type of reward for saving her life but he’d already refused work. What else could she do? Offer a reward?

Ella thought about her two brothers, Dade and Dalton, and sister, Cadence. She wasn’t kidding before. They’d be frantic with worry about her by now. Even though her siblings had left town to escape the media circus in Cattle Barge, one of the employees would’ve contacted them about her disappearance. She’d been out of communication for two days...and with a total stranger. He could’ve done anything he’d wanted to her. A shiver raced through her. But he hadn’t.

For that reason and a few others that she didn’t want to overanalyze, Ella intended to figure out who this man was and why he was running.

Chapter Three (#u982c49f5-afbc-5378-bb6c-fda767e3dadb)

Blue Eyes walked back into the cabin, glanced around and then picked up his duffel bag. “Finish your coffee. We’re leaving ahead of schedule.”

“Everything okay outside?” Ella asked.

He didn’t respond.

“Is someone out there?” Her heart rate jumped a few notches higher.

“Not now. There will be,” he said and mumbled, “I should’ve gone a long time ago.”

That statement implied he wouldn’t have been around to help her and she didn’t appreciate the sentiment. “Well, I, for one, am glad you outstayed your welcome. I wouldn’t be alive otherwise.”

She was getting indignant. She couldn’t help herself. He wouldn’t tell her anything about himself and she wasn’t trying to take advantage of him or turn him in to the FBI. All she wanted to do was find a proper way to thank him. The guy was working her last nerve and her head still pounded.

“Why don’t you come to work for me on the ranch?” she asked while watching him pull out bleach wipes from his bag. He wiped down the dishes before placing them inside the duffel. Now he really had her curiosity heightened.

“I already said that I don’t need a job.” For the irritated sound that came out of his mouth next, she would’ve thought she’d just asked him to scrub the toilet with his toothbrush.

Ella made a production of glancing around. “Are you being serious?”

He shot her a warning glance. It said to tread lightly.

She ignored it.

“Because as far as I can tell, you very much need a paycheck. And a decent place to sleep.” She waved her hand around.

“I had one until you came along and messed it up for me,” he quickly countered.

“You can’t be serious,” she said.

“Try me.”

“Is that a threat?” She planted her balled fist on her hip. It was probably the fact that she’d almost been killed that was giving her this new bravado. She didn’t care. The guy had some explaining to do and he was squatting on her family’s land.

“No. If you haven’t figured it out already, I’m trying to help you,” he said, opening up a knife and cutting the rope he’d used to hold together the table. The metal sparkled in the light. He wiped down each leg.

“Why won’t you let me return the favor?” she asked.

Another frustrated noise tore from his throat. “You don’t have anything I want.”

That sounded personal. She tried not to take offense. “I’d like to offer a financial reward. Surely, you could use some money.”

He didn’t look up but waved her off.

“At least tell me your name,” she persisted. Why was he being so obstinate? Was it really that difficult to give her something? Granted, she was used to getting what she wanted and with enough persistence she was sure that she could wear this guy down, too. She didn’t have the luxury of time and she wanted to send a proper thank-you or reward for his help.

“I’ve already told you that’s not a good idea.” He broke one of the legs in half and then tossed it into the fireplace.

“I disagree.” She stood there, fist planted.

“You always this stubborn when you’re wrong?” he asked, breaking the second leg and tossing it on top of the last.

“I’m usually right,” she said. Ella glanced around. It wouldn’t be dark outside for hours.

“Since you’re feeling better, I’ll take you to town. Go to the sheriff and tell him what happened. I’d appreciate it if you left me out of your statement. That’s how you can thank me for saving you.” Another broken table leg, more tinder for the fireplace.

“I thought we weren’t leaving until the sun went down,” she said, a moment of panic crushing her. Her father was gone. Nothing at the ranch would be the same without him. She hadn’t even begun to deal with his murder. An attempt had been made on her life. Of course she would go to the sheriff but she wasn’t quite ready to return to town and the unknown waiting there.

“Plans changed.”

“You won’t tell me why? I mean, I realize that we heard a noise but everything’s okay now, right?” She was still trying to figure out why she was arguing for more time with the man who wouldn’t even tell her his name. Logic be damned. Ella needed to know he was going to be all right. At least, that’s what she tried to convince herself and not that there was something magnetic about this man that was completely foreign to her.

“Being seen anywhere near you is dangerous for me.”

“What have you done wrong?” she asked, figuring she might as well go for it.

“Nothing that concerns you.” He broke the final leg and tossed it into the fireplace. She might not understand his way of life but she appreciated his self-sufficiency.

“Then tell me what you’re running from,” she said in a last-ditch effort to get him to talk.

A moment of silence passed between them as they stared each other down.

Okay, he won. Ella wasn’t in a position to bargain and this stranger seemed intent on keeping his secrets. He’d helped her and she was grateful.

“I probably haven’t sounded like it so far, but I really do appreciate everything you’ve done for me,” she said as she moved toward him, toward the door.

She paused before crossing over. For a second, time stopped and they just stood there, staring at each other. A sensual shiver goose bumped Ella’s arms. The stranger had the most amazing eyes, piercing eyes. Eyes that she could stare into for days. As odd as it sounded even to her, the moment felt intimate.

The attraction she felt caught her completely off guard. Rugged mountain men had never been her type. It was probably the mystery surrounding him that held so much appeal and the fact that all her senses were on full alert.

Ella broke contact as she heard the whop-whop-whop of helicopter blades in the distance.

“Let’s go,” she said.

* * *

HOLDEN SAT AT the counter of the diner in neighboring Rio Suerte. Another couple of hours and he’d be out of Texas altogether. He’d dropped off Ella Butler two blocks from the sheriff’s office. She could retrieve her Jeep near Devil’s Lid once she gave her statement to law enforcement. Ella was smart enough to take it from there. He’d done his part, repaid his debt to Maverick Mike.

Time to move on, he thought with a heavy sigh. He hadn’t thought about the murders he’d been accused of for two days while he was with Ella. The initials, HA, hadn’t haunted him. He’d discovered them etched into the bottom of a chair leg at his father’s place—the chair where his father had been tortured and killed.

Holden shook off the bad memory. He was no closer to figuring out what had happened then he’d been two years ago.

The restaurant was a typical off-the-highway food stop and seemed like the place frequented mostly by truck drivers. Holden had befriended more than his fair share while crossing the country, making his way to Texas. The diner was shaped like a train car. There was one row of booths behind him matched by a long counter with bar stools for single travelers. Two families were in the booths, no doubt stopping off for a quick meal while on a road trip.